The invention of earmuffs is credited to Chester Greenwood, an American inventor from Maine.

In 1873, at the age of 15, Chester Greenwood invented the first earmuffs. He reportedly came up with the idea to protect his ears from the cold while ice skating in Farmington, Maine. He attached fur-covered loops of wire to a band that could be worn over the ears, providing warmth without the bulkiness of hats or scarves.

Greenwood received a patent for his invention in 1877, officially recognizing him as the inventor of earmuffs.